Surface mounted frame arrangement

ABSTRACT

A four sided frame arrangement for displaying and readily changing a graphic therewithin, comprising three support rails connected to a loading rail, joined by “L” shaped connector brackets at the corners of the frame arrangement, the support rails each having a graphic receiving channel therein for receipt of a graphic slid therein from an adjacent loading rail; wherein the support rails each have a rear flange which defines one side of the graphic receiving channel, wherein the rear flange of the support rails extend widthwise beyond the front leg or edge of the respective support rails and wherein the support and loading rails each have an outer face of generally “C” shape in cross-section.

This invention relates to elongated frame members and more particularly to a four sided frame structure one side of which includes only a front face thereof, and is a continuation in part application of co-pending design application Ser. No. 29/349,668, filed Apr. 20, 2010 and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

Slide in sign frames generally come in two types. One type may be a double-sided sign or graphic arrangement by which the sign may be displayed on both sides thereof and suspended from a ceiling or held up by a post or other rigid support. The other type of sign would be a one-sided sign which would be placed against a flat surface such as a wall, a fixture, a cabinet or other surface for single sided viewing. Such single sided frame arrangements typically utilize the same frame as two-sided viewing, which usually has a symmetrical shape and is not ideal for permanent mounting. Changing the signs in these frames is difficult because they are designed for changing signs with access to both sides of the frame.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a frame arrangement which overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a frame arrangement which may readily mate against a flat surface while still readily permitting a graphic exchange.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a unique four sided frame arrangement for supporting a graphic therewithin. The four sided frame arrangement comprises three support rails connected at their respective ends by an “L” shaped corner bracket. The remaining top side or side of the four sided frame arrangement consists of a loading rail. The loading rail is joined to its respective adjacent side support rails by a corner bracket at each end thereof.

The sign support rails each comprise an extruded elongated arcuate front face of generally “C” shape in cross section in this preferred embodiment, but the shape is merely an aesthetic preference, and the cross-sectional shape could be rectilinear, scalloped, or any other desired motif. The arcuate front face has a front edge or leg arranged in parallel through the arcuate web and connected to a rear or back leg. The arcuate front face has an inside bridge and a pair of short walls connecting the inside bridge and the inside of the arcuate web of the arcuate front face. The rearmost short wall extends into an “L” shaped configuration which forms the elongated width-extended rear flange, as viewed in cross-section.

The extended-width rear flange extends forwardly beyond the distal edge of the front leg of the arcuate front face. The elongated rectilinear space between the rear flange and the inside bridge defines a graphic receiving-channel. The elongated rectilinear space between the inside bridge and the inside surface of the arcuate front web comprises a corner bracket receiving-channel. The corner bracket receiving-channel is located towards the front face and away from the rear flange to allow the L-shaped corner to connect the four frame rails, while still allowing the frame to be mounted and the graphic to be easily changed. The rear edge of the arcuate face comprises a back leg which extends down to the plane of the rear flange to make the lower edge of the rear flange accessible when reaching through the front of the assembled frame. The extended-width rear flange has a forward edge which is preferably tapered so as to provide a slidable glide path for any incoming graphic which is to be slidably inserted within the graphic receiving channel into the sign support rail that is opposite the loading rail. The rear flange may have a securement means thereon, such as a layer of adhesive applied elongatedly thereon, to permit securement of the frame arrangement to a wall or other flat surface.

The elongated loading rail comprises an arcuate front face having a front leg and a back leg with a pair of parallel, spaced apart short walls extending from the inside surface of the web of the front face, which short walls are connected by an inside bridge, generally similar to that shown in the sign support rail.

The loading rail comprises the fourth side of the frame arrangement of the present invention. The loading rail has no rear flange so that the graphic receiving channel is open to permit a graphic to pass straight through. The loading rail is connected at its respective longitudinal ends by an “L” shaped corner bracket which mates with the corner bracket receiving channels on the adjacent sign support rails. When all four sides of the frame arrangement of the present invention are joined together by their respective L-shaped corner brackets, the frame arrangement may be attached to a wall or the like, as aforementioned, by adhesive or other attachment means.

A graphic may then be inserted into the frame arrangement by being passed along the inside bridge of the loading rail and slid into the respective graphic receiving channels on the adjacent and the opposing rails of the frame arrangement. The dimensional difference of the rear flange extending beyond the distal edge of the front leg of the arcuate front face facilitates the sliding motion of the graphic within that graphic receiving channel to hold it securely therein, and especially facilitates the insertion into the graphic receiving channel of the opposing parallel rail.

Thus what has been shown is a unique four sided frame arrangement, having three sides of which are in graphic receiving configuration and with a fourth or loading side. The open, rear-flange-free, loading rail permits the entry and the sliding the receipt of that graphic into the adjoining three frame components.

The invention thus comprises a four sided frame arrangement for displaying on a flat surface and for readily changing a graphic therewithin, comprising: three support rails connected to fourth loading rail, which may be either cut straight or at an angle for a miter corner, joined by an “L” shaped connector bracket at corners of the frame arrangement, the three support rails each having a graphic receiving channel therein for receipt of a graphic slid therein adjacent the loading rail. The support rails each have an extended-width rear flange which defines one side of the graphic receiving channel. The support rails each have an outer face of generally “C” shape in cross-section, and wherein each outer face has a front leg and a rear leg or edge. The rear flange of the support rails each extend widthwise beyond the distalmost portion of the front leg or edge of the respective support rails.

The invention thus further comprises a four sided graphic-receiving frame arrangement for displaying that frame arrangement on a flat surface and for permitting the easy changing a graphic therewithin, comprising: an arrangement of three support rails connected to a fourth or loading rail, the rails joined by an “L” shaped connector bracket at corners of the frame arrangement, the support rails each having a rectilinear, graphic receiving channel therein for receipt of a graphic slid therein from the adjacent loading rail, wherein the support rails each have a front face and a rear flange, and wherein the rear flange extends widthwise beyond the front face of the three respective support rails to facilitate the sliding entry of a graphic into the frame arrangement. The rear flange of the support rails preferably defines one side of the graphic receiving channel. The rear flange and the front face are preferably connected by an elongated rear or back wall therebetween. The juncture or combination of the rear wall and the rear flange are preferably of “L” shape in cross-section. The rear or back wall comprises a back portion of the graphic receiving channel. The three support rails and the loading rail each have a connector bracket receiving channel defined on one side by a front web of their respective rail. The connector bracket receiving channel is further defined by an inside bridge. The inside bridge is connected to the front web by a short wall and the rear or back wall. The front face of the support rails is preferably of generally “C” shape in cross-section. The front face of each support rail has a front leg and a rear leg or edge. The respective rear flanges of each of the support rails each extend beyond the front leg of the respective front face by at least about one-third of an inch. The rear leg has a distal edge which lies in a plane defined by the rear flange. The rear flange preferably has a distally disposed elongated tapered edge thereon. The rear flange preferably has an elongated layer of adhesive applied thereon.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent when viewed in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one of the sign support rails;

FIG. 2 is an edge view of the sign support rail shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an edge view of the loading rail;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the four sides of the frame arrangement of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the four sides of the frame arrangement of the present invention shown fully assembled; and

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 showing a graphic display panel being inserted within the sign support rails of the frame arrangement.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings in detail and particularly to FIG. 4, there is shown a unique four sided frame arrangement 10 for supporting a graphic “G”, therewithin, which graphic “G” is represented only in FIG. 6. The four sided frame arrangement 10 comprises three sign support rails 14, 16 and 18 connected at their ends by an “L” shaped corner bracket 20, as represented in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6.

The remaining top or side of the four sided frame arrangement 10 consists of a loading rail 22. The loading rail 22 is joined to the adjacent support rails 14 and 16 by a corner bracket 20, at each end thereof, as represented in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6.

The elongated support rails 14, 16 and 18 each comprise an extruded elongated arcuate front face 24 of generally “C” shape in cross-section, in this embodiment, as is best represented in FIGS. 1 and 2, but this “C” shape is merely an aesthetic preference, and the cross-sectional shape could be rectilinear, ribbed, scalloped or any other desired motif. The arcuate front face 24 has a front edge or leg 26 arranged in parallel through an arcuate web 28 and connected to a rear or back leg 30. The arcuate front face 24 has an inside bridge 32 and a front short wall 34 and a back wall 36, both walls 34 and 36 connecting the inside bridge 32 to the inside of the arcuate web 28 of the arcuate front face 24. The back wall 36 extends into an “L” shaped configuration 38 which forms the elongated, extended-width rear flange 40, as viewed best in cross-section in FIG. 2.

The extended-width rear flange 40 extends forwardly (distally) beyond the distal edge of the front leg 26 of the arcuate front face 24, by about a distance “X”, as represented in FIG. 2, which is preferably at least about one third of an inch, to make the lower (distalmost) edge of the rear flange 40 easily accessible and utilizable when reaching through the front of the assembled frame arrangement 10. The elongated rectilinear space between the rear flange 40 and the inside bridge 32 defines a graphic receiving channel 42. The elongated rectilinear space between the inside bridge 32 and the inside surface of the arcuate front web 28 comprises a corner bracket receiving-channel 44, as is best seen in FIG. 2. The corner bracket receiving channel 44 is located towards the front face 24 and away from the rear flange 40 to allow the L-shaped corner 20 to connect the four frame rails 14, 16, 18 and 22, while still allowing the frame 10 to be mounted and a graphic “G” to be readily changed. The rear edge of the arcuate face 24 comprises a back leg 30 the distal edge of which preferably extends down to the plane “P” of the rear flange 40, as represented in FIG. 2. The rear flange 40 has a forward edge 50 which is preferably tapered so as to provide an elongated, widthwise-extended slidable glide path for any incoming graphic “G”, as represented in phantom in FIG. 2, and also represented pictorially in FIG. 6, which graphic “G” is to be inserted within the graphic receiving channel 42 of the adjacent rails 14 and 16, then slid into the graphic receiving channel 42 in the support rail 18 of the frame arrangement 10. The elongated rear flange 40 may have a layer of adhesive 52 applied elongatedly thereon, as represented in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The elongated loading rail 22 comprises an arcuate front face 60, of generally “C” shape in cross-section as represented in FIG. 3, having a front leg 62 and a back leg 64 with a pair of spaced apart short walls 66 and 68 extending from the inside surface 70 of the web 60, and connect with an inside bridge 72, generally similar to that seen in the sign support rail 24, to define a corner bracket receiving channel 74 therewithin.

The loading rail 22 comprises the fourth side of the frame arrangement 10 of the present invention, as represented in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6. The loading rail 22 is different from the other sides in that it has no rear flange so that a graphic “G” can be easily inserted into the frame arrangement as represented in FIG. 6. The elongated loading rail 22 is connected at its respective longitudinal ends by “L” shaped corner 20 which mates with its corner bracket receiving channels 74 and the corner bracket receiving channels 44 on the adjacent sign support rails 14 and 16, as represented by the arrows “M” in FIG. 4. When all four sides 14, 16, 18 and 22 of the frame arrangement 10 of the present invention are joined together by their respective L-shaped corner brackets 20, as represented in the exploded view in FIG. 4, or the assembled representation shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the frame arrangement 10 may be then attached to a wall or the like, as aforementioned, by adhesive 52, or other attachment means.

A graphic “G” may then be inserted into the frame arrangement 10 by being passed beneath the inside bridge 72 of the loading rail 22 and slid into the respective graphic receiving channels 42 on the adjacent and the opposing rails 14, 16 and 18 of the frame arrangement 10, as represented in FIG. 6. The dimensional difference of the rear flange 40 extending a distance “X” beyond the front leg 26 of the arcuate front face 24, as represented in FIG. 2 facilitates the sliding motion of the graphic “G” within that graphic receiving channel 42 to hold it securely therein, and especially facilitates the moving insertion of the normally thin and likely non-rigid graphic “G” into the graphic receiving channel 42 of the lower support rail 18, which may be appreciated upon viewing FIG. 6. 

1. A four sided graphic-receiving frame arrangement for displaying that frame arrangement on a flat surface and for permitting the easy changing a graphic therewithin, comprising: an arrangement of three support rails connected to a fourth or loading rail, the rails joined by an “L” shaped connector bracket at corners of the frame arrangement, the support rails each having a rectilinear, graphic receiving channel therein for receipt of a graphic slid therein from the adjacent loading rail, wherein the support rails each have a front face and a rear flange, and wherein the rear flange extends widthwise beyond the front face on each of the three respective support rails to facilitate the sliding entry of a graphic into the frame arrangement.
 2. The four sided frame arrangement as recited in claim 1, wherein the rear flange of the support rails defines one side of the graphic receiving channel.
 3. The four sided frame arrangement as recited in claim 2, wherein the rear flange and the front face are connected by an elongated back wall arranged therebetween.
 4. The four sided frame arrangement as recited in claim 3, wherein the juncture of back wall and the rear flange are of “L” shape in cross-section.
 5. The four sided frame arrangement as recited in claim 4, wherein the back wall comprises a back portion of the graphic receiving channel.
 6. The four sided frame arrangement as recited in claim 3, wherein the three support rails and the loading rail each have a connector bracket receiving channel defined on one side by a front web of their respective rail.
 7. The four sided frame arrangement as recited in claim 6, wherein the connector bracket receiving channel is further defined by an inside bridge.
 8. The four sided frame arrangement as recited in claim 7, wherein the inside bridge is connected to the front web by a short wall and the back wall.
 9. The four sided frame arrangement as recited in claim 3, wherein the front face of the support rails is of generally “C” shape in cross-section.
 10. The four sided frame arrangement as recited in claim 3, wherein the front face of each support rail has a front leg and a rear leg or edge.
 11. The four sided frame arrangement as recited in claim 1, wherein the respective rear flanges of each of the support rails each extend beyond the front leg of the respective front face by a distance “X” of about one-third of an inch.
 12. The four sided frame arrangement as recited in claim 10, wherein the rear leg has a distal edge which lies in a plane defined by the rear flange.
 13. The four sided frame arrangement as recited in claim 1, wherein the rear flange has an elongated tapered distalmost edge thereon.
 14. The four sided frame arrangement as recited in claim 13, wherein the rear flange has an elongated layer of adhesive applied thereon. 